forum @Skylark // Private Roleplay

Started March 15, 2021 by @Fraust

tune

"No, no, it's okay… I just fidget sometimes when I'm in new places." He lied, smiling weakly to reassure Sol. "Honestly, I'm alright. We should go order."

Sol frowned but nodded, not wanting to push Joey. “If you’re sure,” he said, squeezing his hand gently. “We can leave anytime you want.”

Joey nodded a bit, keeping close to Sol. He figured he would just let Sol order so that he could keep quiet and relax.

Stepping up to the counter, Sol ordered a pancake for Joey (that’s not much…) and biscuits and gravy for himself. Getting their number, he turned back to Joey. “Where would you like to sit?”

"Um… anywhere is fine." Joey followed Sol closely, still fidgeting with his hands and sleeves. "Do you have to go anywhere after this?"

“I have a meeting tonight, but i’m free for a while after this,” Sol said, leading them to the booth in the corner. He liked being able to see the rest of the diner.

"Alright… I don't think I've got anything going on." Joey sat down with Sol and fell quiet, waiting for the food to be finished so he could get this over with.

Sol noted Joey’s quiet with some concern. “Joey, hey, are you really okay? We can take our food to go if you’d like to leave,” he said softly. The last thing he wanted was for the other to be uncomfortable.

"I'm fine…" Joey insisted, tugging at his sleeves a bit more and shifting closer to Sol. "We can take it to go if you'd like, I don't really mind either way…"

Had his wings been extended, Sol would have arched them protectively around the small angel. “Yeah, okay, want to take it back to my place?” he asked. “I have some old books you might like, too.”

"Sure… sounds good to me." Joey hesitated before getting up out of the booth, tapping one foot on the ground nervously as he fidgeted. "It'll probably be out soon…"

Joey was right, the food was out less than ten minutes later. The whole time, Sol watched his fidgeting with subtle concern. “Alright, are you ready?” he asked the angel.

Joey nodded a bit and followed Sol closely out of the diner, taking his hand and climbing back into the motorcycle once they reached it. He clipped the helmet back on his head and glanced around.

Sol wasted no time starting his bike, but hesitated before he left. Worry clenched in his stomach for the angel sitting behind him. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he finally took off and headed home.

Joey stayed quiet the whole way, simply getting off the bike when they arrived and handing the helmet over to Sol. He was stuck in his own mind at the moment, trying to find some way out of this but unable to think of one.

Sol picked up their food with one hand and gently took Joey’s hand. The angel was being so quiet, it worried him. Leading the way back up to his apartment, Sol kept glancing at Joey. What’s wrong? What can I do for him?

Joey followed Sol into the apartment, holding tightly to his hand as he glanced around warily. There's no way out of this… he'll notice if I don't eat. I'll just have to force myself through it for his sake.

Sol set the food down on the table and turned to Joey, taking his other hand. “Hey,” he said softly. “I won’t make you talk about it, but if something is wrong, you can tell me. I know we just met yesterday, but I’m here if you need anything.”

Joey looked up at Sol weakly. "It's… I-I'm fine. It's nothing, really…" He replied, his voice soft and unsure. He sat down at the table and looked down at his food, feeling a bit queasy as he stared at it.

Joey didn’t sound fine, he was just staring at his plate, at his food—oh. Sol sifted through the last day and a half and noted that he had never seen the angel eat; not at the club, not in the morning… He didn’t want to push Joey too hard, but he couldn’t leave him sitting there, so clearly not fine.

Finally, Sol sat next to Joey and carefully reached out to cup his cheek, gently tilting his face up. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “Do you want me to leave the room? I can go get those books I mentioned.”

Joey looked up at Sol weakly, still seeming very apprehensive. "Leave…? Ah, n-no, you don't… you don't have to leave if you don't want to… what books are you talking about? I can't quite remember…"
His stomach growled quietly and he hugged it tightly, his cheeks lightly flushing with embarrassment. Since he was inside, he released the glamor on his wings and wrapped them around himself to feel more secure.

Sol released his own wings, arching them protectively around the angel. He gently pulled Joey’s hands from where they were wrapped around him and held them carefully, lightly brushing a thumb over his knuckles. “Hey, it’s okay, you don’t have to eat,” he said, wanting to make sure Joey was comfortable. “We can save it. I have juice if you want, or I could make a
smoothie. Or we could just go read, yeah? whatever you want,Joey”

Joey closed his eyes, trying to relax into Sol's gentle touch as he nodded a bit. "O-Okay… I'm… I'm fine to go read for a while, I guess… anything is fine, I don't… I don't really care either way…" He replied weakly, still quiet and tentative. His stomach growled again and he curled up a bit.

Slo’s heart clenched at how nervous Joey seemed. He wished he could take whatever pain there was away. “Okay,” he said kindly, slowly getting up and leading Joey by the hand to his office where he had a few shelves of books, a desk, and a large round ottoman. “I have a couple of really old books I think you would appreciate.”

Joey followed Sol closely, trembling lightly. He tried to focus on the books, hesitating before tentatively pulling one off of the shelf and holding it close to his chest. "I'm… I-I'm sorry for being problematic…" He whispered shakily.

“Oh, Joey, no,” Sol said gently. “You’re not being problematic. I want you to feel comfortable, you’re no trouble whatsoever.” He sat down on the ottoman so he could better look up at Joey’s face. Stars, the angel was small. He just wanted to protect him. “I’m sorry you feel like this, just let me know what you want to do.”

Joey set the book down and hugged Sol tightly, burying his face in the other's shoulder. He was trembling a bit and didn't really seem convinced by Sol's assurances, feeling more guilty than anything. "B-But I'm… I'm being difficult…" He whispered weakly.

“No, you’re not,” Sol murmured, holding Joey close. “Joey, being uncomfortable, nervous, or wanting to do something else is not difficult, it’s being a person. You are completely and totally entitled to your feelings. I’m more than happy to stay here and read or do whatever you want.” He rubbed the angel’s back soothingly, wrapping his wings around them.

"But I'm being stupid a-and I'm probably making you worried or uncomfortable or something and your feelings are important too…" Joey hiccuped a bit and gripped Sol more tightly, his wings quivering and puffing up in distress.

“Shhh, no, estello,” Sol said soothingly, stroking Joey’s back. “Yes, feelings on both sides are important, but I am not uncomfortable. Worried, yes, because I hate to see you so distressed, but I am not upset. Please, believe me, Joey, I just want you to feel comfortable, that is how I feel right now.”